WHEN GOD GETS THE BELT OUT
GEN. 2:16-17
1. INTRODUCTION: I RECALL GROWING UP AS A CHILD, THAT WHENEVER MY MOTHER OR FATHER WOULD GET THE BELT OUT, I KNEW THAT TROUBLE WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNEW THAT WHEN I SAW THE BELT, NOTHING GOOD WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE BELT CAME OUT AS THE DIRECT RESULT OF MY DISOBEDIENCE TO THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. SOMETIMES THE BELT WAS USED FOR PUNISHMENT, AND THEN AT OTHER TIMES IT WAS USED FOR CORRECTION. HOW MANY OF US, IF WE ARE HONEST CAN REMEMBER GETTING WHIPPINGS, AND GETTING OUR BACKSIDES SHREDDED BECAUSE WE FAILED TO DO AS WE WERE TOLD? SOMETIMES TO AMPLIFY THE AGONY, THEY WOULD TELL US TO GO GET THE BELT OR GO GET THE SWITCH. ONE OF THE WORSE PUNISHMENTS YOU CAN GET IS TO GO GET THE BET THAT THEY WERE GOING TO USE ON US! SOMETIMES JUST GOING TO GET THE BELT WAS WORSE THEN BEING WHIPPED WITH THE BELT! AND IF YOU CAME BACK WITH A LITTLE SWITCH MAMMA WAS GOING TO PULL UP THE WHOLE TREE. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, JUST AS OUR PARENTS HAD A BELT, GOD HAS A BELT, AND TRUST ME, HIS WHIPPINGS ARE MORE SEVERE THAN OUR PARENTS. BUT GOD NEVER GETS THE BELT OUT JUST TO GET THE BELT OUT. NO, HE GETS THE BELT OUT WHEN WE GO ASTRAY AND CONTRARY TO HIS WORD AND HIS WILL. SO I JUST STOPPED BY TO TELL US THAT WE SHOULD NOT AND CANNOT EXPECT PLEASURE WHEN GOD GETS THE BELT OUT! DON’T EXPECT A SESAME STREET SITUATION, AND DON’T EXPECT TO HEAR IT’S A WONDERFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN GOD GETS THE BELT OUT!
2. THE TEXT. GOD INSTRUCTED ADAM THAT HE COULD FREELY EAT OF ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, FOR IN THE DAY THAT HE EATS OF THE TREE HE WOULD SURELY DIE.
a) WE MUST GET TO THE POINT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT GOD SAYS WHAT HE MEANS AND HE MEANS JUST WHAT HE SAYS.
b) DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD RESULTS IN CHASTISEMENT AND PUNISHMENT.
c) CHASTISEMENT IS MEANT FOR CORRECTION, WHILE PUNISHMENT IS JUST THAT!
d) SOMETIMES GOD’S CHASTISEMENT WILL SEEM LIKE IT’S PUNISHMENT, BUT IT’S NOT.
e) GOD NEVER PUNISHES OR CORRECTS WITHOUT CAUSE.
f) I DESERVED EVERY WHOPPING THAT I GOT.
g) I DIDN’T LIKE IT, BUT I DESERVED IT.
h) I HAVE NEVER WHIPPED BRELAND AND BREAUNA WITHOUT CAUSE, ALTHOUGH THEY MIGHT DISAGREE.
3. HOW DOES GOD WHIP US? GOD HAS A PLETHORA OF WAYS THAT HE WHIPS US. SOMETIMES IT BY…
a) A FINANCIAL CRISIS…
b) SICKNESS. IF YOU LAY DOWN WITH DOGS, YOU’RE BOUND TO GET FLEES. IF YOU PLAY WITH FIRE, YOU’RE BOUND TO GET BURNED.
c) SOMETIMES IT’S MENTAL ANGUISH. THAT’S A WHIPPING.
d) SOMETIMES IT’S A RESTLESS NIGHT. THAT’S A WHIPPING.
e) SOMETIMES IT’S BY ISOLATION. THAT’S A WHIPPING.
f) SOMETIMES IT’S THE LOSS OF A JOB. THAT’S A WHIPPING.
g) SOMETIMES GOD WILL CAUSE A FLOOD OF BURDENS.
h) AND SOMETIMES BY DEATH.
i) PLEASE DON’T MISS IT AND GET ME WRONG, I’M NOT SAYING THAT WHEN WE EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS THAT GOD IS WHIPPING US ALL THE TIME.
j) DON’T THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN THAT HE WILL NOT GET THE BELT OUT.
k) LET ME SEE IF I CAN MAKE IT PLAIN FOR YOU…(SAMSON). I LOST SIGHT OF GOD CONSEQUENTLY, I LOST MY SIGHT!
4. BOTH OBEDIENCE AND DISOBEDIENCE ARE CHOICES.
a) BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN US FREE WILL, WE CAN CHOOSE TO OBEY OR DISOBEY GOD.
b) AS I STATED EARLIER, DISOBEDIENCE WILL BRING THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD, WHILE OBEDIENCE TO GOD RESULTS IN THE BLESSINGS AND FAVOR OF GOD.
c) NOBODY FORCED ADAM TO EAT. HE ATE OF HIS OWN FREE WILL.
d) EVE WAS TRICKED, THAT’S ONE REASON WHY GOD ESTABLISHED MALE HEADSHIP!
e) BOTH OF THEM CHOSE TO DISOBEY GOD AND AS A CONSEQUENCE WE HAVE BEEN DYING EVER SINCE!
f) A PERSON CAN CHOOSE HEAVEN OR HELL. IT’S JUST THAT SIMPLE.
g) JOSHUA TOLD THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, CHOOSE YE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.
h) HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DOWN THE STREET AND GOT WHIPPED ALL THE WAY HOME?
i) SOMETIMES GOD WILL WHIP US ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CHURCH. WHY? BECAUSE THAT’S OUR SPIRITUAL HOME!
j) SOMETIMES THE CHOICES WE MAKE CAN HAVE LASTING CONSEQUENCES…
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION.
a) ONE, GOD CAN PLACE US IN TIME OUT THAT CAN TAKE YEARS TO COME OUT OF. JUST ASK THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
b) TWO, A LOT OF LIVES ARE THE WAY THEY ARE BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD.
c) THREE, ALTHOUGH GOD MAY GET THE BELT OUT, HE NEVER STOPS LOVING US. I USE TO WHIP BRELAND AND BREAUNA, THEN TURN AROUND AND HUG THEM. THE BIBLE TEACHES WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHATENETH.
• SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE OUGHT TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO KEEP GOD FROM GETTING THE BELT OUT! WE OUGHT TO…
• STRIVE TO FORGIVE OTHERS THAT HAVE HURT US.
• PRAY ON A DAILY BASIS.
• STUDY HIS WORD ON A DAILY BASIS.
• TREAT OTHERS THE WAY GOD WOULD HAVE THEM TO BE TREATED.
• ASSEMBLE OURSELVES IN THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP ON A REGULAR BASIS.
• OBEY THE LORD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
• CARRY HIS GOSPEL TO A DYING WORLD.
